Now im going to try and not be too negative here, and this is very similar to a thread on the board about a week ago, but when we were playing well we had a normal formation, which we were familiar with, and pace - which was our main threat. Can we PLEASE stop tinkering and pick firstly the formation before the players. I feel like we are just trying to throw players on the pitch at the moment and ignoring the systems which were working for us. I was saying in the car last week that Schlupp (through no real competition) is actually becoming the first name on the score sheet for me because he is absolute dynamite down the left and his pace actually causes problems. Why play Ulloa if we dont play with wingers. On the teamsheet today we had James, Cambiasso, King and Drinkwater. That is 4 centre mids - that simply wont work. 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1, however you would like to interpret it, worked in the championship AND the premier league - so i dont understand why we have changed. Vardy is not a winger. Ulloa is a passenger without wingers. Good players may have to be left out. That is what you WANT - its called having a squad and it gives you options and allows you to change a game. can we PLEASE go back to having some actual width and steel in the midfield please! For me: Schmeichel DC Morgan DC Konch Knockaert Hammond/DC King/DC Schlupp DC Ulloa (DC = dont care) I would go for Knockaert as i feel he gets stuck in a little bit more (dispite what others think he really does get stuck in) and is trying to prove something, plus mahrez has been off the boil recently and albrighton is nothing more than a reincarnated turd. Yes, we will lose some. But this formation also means that we might actually pick up a point before the members of one direction are old enough to pick up their pension. Come on NP. Your the bloke, but PLEASE stop throwing men on the pitch without really thinking about it. Yes, we may have to drop Cambiasso due to his lack of pace in that formation. Or maybe play him. I dont care. That goes with all the CMs. But its just so frustrating each week looking at a teamsheet and knowing its makeshift, out of position and not going to work. At least the players know what to do in their proper positions and a proper formation! I believe?
Under normal circumstances losing 2-0 away to Southampton wouldn't be a big deal. Many more teams will come away with no better result. But it is the nature of the defeat that is frustrating. 5 attempts on goal and none on target. Only 1 goal scored away from home all season. So these are not normal circumstances. You just knew today that as soon as the Saints scored the first goal it was game over. I have to say I agree with a lot of what you say, Leicester_ed. We do need a settled formation. The one thing I don't necessarily agree with is when you say that Vardy is not a winger. In the Man Utd game he played wide and caused all sorts of problems. Yes, I know it was only Man Utd, but playing out wide gave him the space to use his pace. And the cross he produced for Leo's goal was the best of the season. I don't think we currently have anyone else to provide pace wide right, and I wouldn't play him anywhere else. Get him beating his full back and then come inside and start attacking central defenders in the box. He'll hopefully create chances for others or draw penalties. He might need to improve his defensive duties. Having pace on the left is another matter. Do we play Schlupp in front of Konch, or play him at full back/wing back and team him up with Mahrez or Knockaert who might offer a bit more of a threat in possession? The worrying thing is that we are even discussing yet another overhaul to the team at this stage in the season. Isn't Nigel paid to sort this out and, more importantly, get it right? I wasn't at the game today, but Pearson seems to be saying that we had chances to score, but just didn't take them again. Does that tell the real story?
I was at the game today, as soon as the team was named I lost any faith. Full credit to drinkwater, james and cambiasso who chased everything down but james and drinkwater were completely out of position playing as what?? defensive right/left midfields?? Pearson went to defend a 0-0, with players out of position, and when they scored there was no plan B. The more worrying thing for me is that you can see that this is really affecting confidence in players now. Drinkwater, Vardy and even Morgan today were a shadow of them former selves. Ulloa... well what has happened to him lately? He has had no service at all and when he has the ball he looks clumsy and uninterested (in fact im sure he had a few heated words with Pearson on the sideline today). King is a complete waste of a player on the pitch. he does F*** all and when he gets the ball he is so lightweight. if Mahrez/Knockheart played instead of King i would have had hope today because they would have contributed something more than King (nothing). For me Pearson has got the next 2, MUST win games, to prove himself before the players forget how to win. Something that a young inexperienced side is struggling with. If i'm honest I think Pearson knows this and he almost sounded defeated and out of ideas in his post match interview.
i think he has to play LM on the basis of if he doesnt, who does!? We developed early on as a successful team with pace and a clinical poacher who put his chances away and we started the game with FOUR centre mids - well of course we lost! I dont mind losing, its just i loose all faith with the team sheet before the ball is even kicked at the moment. PLEASE play a system with pace on the wings, Nige! It is what made you so successful! Have the balls to drop the 'better players' and pick the best available in the correct positions!
Agree with lots of the above ... only real positive from Saturday's game for me was Jeff Schlupp's perfoprmance - now deserves a run in the team at left back. What I'd now like to see: Scmeichel Schlupp Morgan Moore/Wasyl De Laet/Simpson Cambiasso Drinkwater Mahrez Powell Vardy Ulloa ... and let's go for it ...
GOOD OP MATE...A quick look at my sig shows i agree with your post... The team is better than just the best 11 men..
I would like to see: --------------Schmeichel--------------- ----Moore-------Morgan--------Wasil------ -------------Cambiasso----------- De-Laet------------------------------Schlupp -----------Drinkwater------James----------- ---------------Mahrez---------------- ---------------Ulloa----------------
We've just got to attack now. We're probably going to relegated whatever formation we play- we just don't have a good enough squad to survive, but I'll be a lot less disappointed if we actually go and attack. I'd rather we lose games 3-2 than 1-0 every week. I just want a goal, damnit! Pearson isn't going to get the sack even if we do get relegated, but he's running the risk of alienating the fans with boring defensive football. We've got exciting young wingers for example in Mahrez, Knockaert, Albrighton (I know a lot of you don't rate him but he's barely played and could certainly hack it in the PL with Villa- I want to see him on the pitch), Schlupp and Lawrence, and they're basically not getting on the pitch, with Nugent and Vardy preferred out wide even if we do opt for a team with width!
Incidentally, my team: Schmeichel De Laet Morgan Moore Schlupp Mahrez Drinkwater Cambiasso Knockaert Ulloa Vardy Yes, that team's probably not good enough to stay up either, but at least it's a formation we can play and can attack!
Just used width and pace, our stengths, and play in their positions! I we loose, then so be it. But then as least i feel like we have been beaten rather than lost ourselves.
Schmeichel De Laet - Morgan - Moore - Schlupp Cambiasso Albrighton - Drinkwater - Mahrez Vardy/James/Nugent/Powell Ulloa
